Rigatoni Ruin by Nicolette Pierce

Author:Nicolette Pierce
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Nicolette Pierce

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Don’t cry!” Gunner ordered, which only made my job of crying easier.

Once again, I had glitched.

“Make her stop,” Gunner barked at Nana.

“Stop yelling and maybe she’ll stop crying,” Nana shot back.

The veins in his neck pulsed.

“You’re a scary dude,” Lan said, still munching on chips. “Perhaps back up a bit. You're kind of menacing up close.”

Gunner swung his glare to Lan, who didn’t seem to care. Perhaps Lan had to deal with worse with the Blood Dragons, but I was grateful when Gunner finally inched back. It made the throbby veins less noticeable.

Nana stealthily peeked at her phone while Gunner thrust a tissue box under my nose. “Take it.”

I took a tissue to mop up my tears.

“Better?” he asked.

“No. I keep glitching.”

He sighed and then sat on the coffee table, straddling my legs between his as he eyed me. “It’s not a glitch. Your mind is trying to cope. It takes time.”

“Sounds like you’ve been through it.”

“Not me. A buddy of mine. He witnessed a gruesome murder. Had to be put on desk duty for a couple of years. He quit after.”

“Why did he quit?”

“Most cops don’t become cops to get stuck on desk duty. We tolerate it until we can get back on the street. I think after the years at the desk, he lost his appetite for the job. It happens.”

“What does he do now?”

“He got his pilot’s license.”

“Sounds nice,” I said.

“If it wasn’t for witnessing the murder, he might not have become a pilot.”

“Are you saying it’s a good thing I’m glitchy?”

“I’m saying it’s good to step back and take a breath. You never know where life will lead you.”

“You’re on desk duty. Do you know where life is leading you?”

“If it’s any more babysitting assignments, I might as well walk in front of a bus and end it.”

I frowned at him. “This is still better than desk duty. Admit it.”

He paused for a moment. “I suppose.”

Since we seemed to be in a sharing state, I said, “I never thanked you for letting me use you as a body shield.”

He shrugged. “I thought I was dead, anyway.”

“You’re very cavalier about your death,” I said.

“When I took the undercover assignment, I thought I’d be dead within a month. I made it longer than that, so I figure I’m running on borrowed time.”

I studied his hardened jaw as he talked about death like one would talk about the weather. It made me uncomfortable.

“If you’re already on borrowed time, you won’t mind going to New Jersey,” Nana said.

“You don’t give up, do you?” he asked.

“Never. I still apply to be a Rockette every year.”

“Do you?” I asked.

She nodded. “I figure some day they might open a granny tour. Can’t hurt to keep my name in the mix.”

Gunner stood and pulled out his phone. He glanced at it and then typed a message.

“Is that Logan?” Nana asked.

“If it is, I’m not telling you,” he said and then pocketed his phone.

“Must be Logan,” Nana said with a nod. “I just got a text from him to stop harassing you.

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